What is the tense in 'The Cask of Amontillado'?

Most of Edgar Allan Poe's short story 'The Cask of Amontillado' is written in the past tense, as is true of most stories.

Having given us a brief introduction, Poe launches into his tale:

"It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season, that I encountered my friend. He accosted me with excessive warmth, for he had been drinkingmuch. The man wore motley. He had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells. I was so pleased to see him, that I thought I should never have done wringing his hand. I said to him..."